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Chapter 22 opens with the River of the water of life that flows from the throne of God, and mentions the Tree of life. This couples with verse 3, which says that “No longer will there be anything accursed.” This is a clear reference to the renewal of what was good before the fall of man in Genesis. Jesus tells john that he is coming soon, which means that his coming will be unexpected. The victory of the Lord over death and the evil one is complete; and just as he promised, he has prepared a place for all who will come and “take the water of life without price.”

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Chapter twenty contains the “thousand years” that is fodder for the views of the per-millennialists, who preach that Jesus will actually come back physically before judgement day to reign on earth for a thousand years because he failed somehow in his first mission. Such a view ignores so much of what is taught in scripture, that one hardly knows where to begin. The death burial and resurrection were a complete success and all part of God’s plan of salvation.

Also, note that the chapter makes no mention whatsoever about a second coming, a literal throne of David, or a resurrection. His resurrection already happened! The thousand years is no more literal than the headless souls in the first few verses. The time period might represent the limited power Satan has enjoyed since the completion of that which is perfect (1 Cor 13:10).

Chapter 21 describes a new heaven and a new earth – the new Jerusalem, and it is not difficult to understand what it describes. it is clearly heaven. It is not a literal description, of course. But it does describe a place of enormity and beauty beyond imagination.

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There are some that equate the reference to Babylon again in chapter 18 as an all-inclusive representation of Apostate Christianity. And there may be some truth to that allegorically. But remembering the opening verses of the book, we must insist that ti this audience, it is the clear pronouncement of judgement against Jerusalem for its own apostasy and rejection of the Son of God.

In Chapter 19 after the fall of Babylon, the rider on the white horse in verses 11 and following is clearly Jesus. he now goes out to defeat the enemy with a sharp sword, which comes from his mouth. And the fact that he is called “The Word of God” in verse 13 makes the inference clear – it the God’s word that will be used as the weapon.

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An analysis of chapter 17 can be a daunting task. There have been so many disagreements among commentators as to the identity of the beast, the harlot, and even the sixth king. It has even given rise to a ridiculous myth about Nero being resurrected as the eighth king! The most convincing arguments I have read declare the beast as Rome.

Whatever you take away from this book, remember our blog that included the first verse of chapter eight: “When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.” We agree with Coffman’s assessment that this means that this marks the day of judgment, and that we are not told what comes thereafter – as John said in 1 John 3:2:

Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appearswe shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.

With that in mind, everything that follows that section of chapter 8 must occur before that time. Couple that with what we are told at the beginning of the book – that the Revelation is of “the things that must soon take place” – and it is clear that John is writing of things the seven churches are familiar with and that some of them can reasonably expect to see take place.

For the modern Christian, as well as the recipients of John’s epistle, the bottom line is the same. Despite the trials and tribulation of the day and of times to come, “the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.”

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In chapter 15, we have seven angels with seven plagues, followed in chapter 16 by seven bowls of God’s wrath that are poured out over the earth. Whether one reads these image-filled chapters as an account of final judgment or that of God’s judgment against Jerusalem, the two chapters convey the message that when God issues his judgment, there is no struggle against Him.

Notice Rev 16:16: “And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.” Much is made of this by secular literature, etc., yet there is no reference whatsoever to any battle. There is nothing but God’s judgment being carried out on the wicked.

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Chapter 13 becomes an engrossing story of the most vivid imagery so far in this book. The interpretation of the beasts, (not to mention the number 666) have been the source of countless speculation, wild prophetic claims, and even fuel for exciting movies. I want to be clear when I say that I am not certain of any of the interpretations that I make in this writing; and I urge the reader to be very skeptical of any commentator who claims to be sure of his own. I do not think that John’s statement in verse 18 that “this calls for wisdom” is one made lightly. But I do have my own opinions about some of it that I will share.

I feel pretty certain that the beast out of the sea represents world governments that are hostile to Christians, beginning of course with the Roman Empire. Other commentators have interpreted the seven heads as representing some of these, such as Babylon, Medo-Persia, Egypt, Assyria, Greece, Rome and one that would rise at a time later than the book’s writing (how much later is anyone’s guess).

As for the beast out of the earth, I would agree with others that this one is about false religions to a large extent – but more than that, it represents Satan’s effort to use these hostile governments, as well as those who espouse a disbelief in God, to attempt to bring the Christians of the world captive to him, with intent to bring about the very destruction of the Lord’s church.

The number of the beast has been analyzed to try to fit such figures as Nero, Autokrator Kaisar Dometianus Germanicus, Vicarius Filii Dei, Hitler, and even more modern scoundrels. I have my doubts whether the number 666 is actually even a reference to a single man, but feel strongly that it could refer instead to a particular movement or sociological group. But notice that the scripture speaks of the mark being worn by those who serve the beast. Remembering that the chapter divisions are man-made – not inspired – look at the next verse, which is the start of chapter 14.

Chapter 14 begins with John seeing the 144,000 (or the multitude of faithful that nobody can number – from chapter 7). Notice that they have the name of “the lamb” and “his Father” on their foreheads. This is, of course, not a literal name on their foreheads, and (in my opinion) the number 666 in the previous verse is not a literal number either. The number 7 is a symbolically sacred and complete number throughout scripture. Six hundred sixty and six would seem to be a very large representation of all that falls short of what is good. The symbolic 144,000 faithful Christians are protected by the three angels because of their faithfulness, and their refusal to serve the beast; and the “one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head” in verse 14 is clearly Jesus. What follows culminates in judgement, which will end well for the faithful.

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Chapter 12 is a magnificent illustration in imagery of the birth of Jesus and Satan’s attempts to stop him before he even begins his work. The woman is not Mary, but can best be understood as faithful through the ages. She goes to safety for the 1260 days (or the 42 months), just as Jesus warned the faithful before his crucifixion in Matthew 24:15-22.

Satan’s war against the church is a central piece to this part of the book, and would have special meaning for these early New Testament Christians, who were seeing the earliest battles that he fought with fury. Nevertheless, that war certainly continues today, as he has not ceased his attempts to destroy it. But still it continues.

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In chapter 10, the “little scroll” (or in some translations “little book”) is absolutely the focal point. Some, like Coffman, see this as the New Testament – that which is perfect (1 Corinthians 13:10). It is hard to imagine that it could not be, once you consider it. It is, Coffman says, the only “book continuing to remain open in spite of the most vigorous efforts of hell and the devil to close it, and deserving to receive the supernatural guardianship of one of God’s most mighty and glorious angels.” It is part of the fulfillment of Jesus’s promise that He is “with you always.” And holding that book open is the only function that the seventh angel performs in this chapter. When his trumpet sounds, verse 7 says, “the mystery of God would be fulfilled, just as he announced to his servants the prophets” (judgment day).

In verse 11, the two witnesses are generally thought to be Moses and Elijah, although it could simply mean “Moses and the prophets.” The 42 months that “they will trample the holy city” in verse two is the length of time that Rome took to end the Jewish rebellion in A.D. 70. In verse 15, the seventh angel blows his trumpet and “there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.”

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Chapters 8-9 have the seven angels with seven trumpets, who unleash plagues of magnificent destruction when they blow their horns. Some equate each of these events to things that after during and after the destruction of Jerusalem. naturally, all sorts of disasters through the centuries have been attributed to the “prophecies” of these trumpet-initiated events. However you interpret them, it is highly unlikely that the 1st century Christians would have benefited from being warned of some disaster or catastrophic war in the 15th century – or in the 21st, for that matter.

One thing seems quite significant, as pointed out by the late Burton Coffman. Chapter 7 seems to clearly point to the the time when the God’s faithful reach heaven. Then in the verse of chapter eight, the seventh seal is opened and there is silence in heaven for a half hour. No other explanation from the opening of this seal is given, but rather the narrative moves to the seven angels. The significance is clear. There will be no disclosure of what happens next in heaven. And all that follows in this great book is simply more about the events that lead up to that final judgment. Understanding this, Coffman says, is essential to understanding the chapters that follow.

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It is in chapter seven where the wheels really start coming off for those who want too much literal meaning. Some want the 144,000 to represent martyrs. Others want them to literally represent members of the original 12 tribes of Israel. It is a symbolic number, this 12,000 times twelve. Twelve is a somewhat sacred number in scripture, just as the the number seven has special meaning.

But notice that John is saying in verses 3-4 that there is talk of the “servants of God,” and that he heard the number of them (144,000). Then in verse 9 he looked upon “a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb…” This great multitude that no one could number is the same group of people that are numbered 144, 000 in the previous verses. If they were not, both groups would have needed to be “sealed.”

The 144,000 is simply the great number of the faithful from all the earth – the new Israel. John tells us so in verse 14: “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”